Genomics and population structure of Macaúba [Acrocomia aculeata (Jacq.) Lodd. ex Mart.], aimed the species domestication

Author(s)

Brenda Gabriela Díaz Hernández

• Document type: Doctoral Thesis
• Press: Campinas, SP.
• Institution: Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Instituto de Biologia
• Defense date: 2020-11-27

Examining board members

Maria Imaculada Zucchi; Anete Pereira de Souza; Vera Nisaka Solferini; Sérgio Yoshimitsu Motoike; Erick Mauricio Goes Cordeiro

• Advisor: Jorge Mauricio Costa Mondego; Maria Imaculada Zucchi

Abstract

Acrocomia (Arecaceae) is a neotropical genus that is attributed eight species with a wide distribution in America. A. aculeata is the most important species because its potential to supply oil with the same production capacity as oil palm, but which can be grown in areas with water deficit, characteristic that has motivated its commercial interest and increased commercial planting. Considered a species with a certain degree of incipient domestication, commercial cultivars are not yet available, and the challenges regarding the consolidation of the productive chain of this species deserve the attention of the scientific community. In this context, in view of the importance of domestication and genetic improvement of A. aculeata and other species of the genus, the objectives of this research project were a) to analyze and understand the content and structuring of A. aculeata genomic diversity by SNPs, with the objective of elucidating the genetic relationships between species Acrocomia and A. aculeata from different American countries; b) to elucidate the taxonomic status between A. aculeata and A. totai and identify the occurrence of natural interspecific hybrids, using simple sequence repeat markers (SSR) and c) to analyze the mating system and genetic diversity of open-pollinated progenies (OPP) of A. aculeata to predict their genetic vulnerability. Our results showed partially congruent with the current taxonomic classification based on morphological characters, recovering the separation of the species A. aculeata, A. totai, A. crispa and A. intumescens as distinct taxonomic groups. A. aculeata showed an accentuated substructure within, showing two genetic groups, corresponding to a north¿south split. Based on both using SNPs and microsatellites markers, was corroborated as a genetic differentiation between A. aculeata and A. totai as different species, and that A. totai has the highest level of diversity. The results also showed that there was no significant loss in the genetic diversity of OPPs derived from an artificial selection in natural populations. In conclusion, our results evidenced the applicability of SNPs and SSR markers as a reference for future studies on the Acrocomia genus, as well as provide a more global view of the genomic diversity of A. aculeata and another species of the genus, information that will be useful to define strategies for conservation and breeding in the different countries where the species occur (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 17/22987-2 - Genomics and population structure of Macaúba (Acrocomia aculeata), aiming to subsidize the domestication of the species.
• Grantee: Brenda Gabriela Díaz Hernández
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate